Many garments have an extensible wearer-encircling portion such garments include for example track suits, casual jackets, ladies and means leisure trousers and the like. The wearer-encircling portion may be for example a waist band, a cuff band or an ankle band.
In our Pat. No. GB 1406822 is described a method of securing and enclosing an extensible elastic band within a hem tunnel formed in a length of garment fabric and apparatus for securing and enclosing an extensible elastic band within a hem tunnel formed in the length of garment fabric. Apparatus generally similar to that described in our Patent Specification has been used successfully for enclosing an elastic band in a hem tunnel formed in a length of garment fabric in a wide variety of applications. One form of elastic band which is desirably included in some garments, for example the waist band of certain leisure trousers is commonly referred to as draw-cord elastic. Draw-cord elastic comprises a substantially inextensible cord extending lengthwise along a region of the elastic band. In use in a garment portions of the draw-cord ar appropriate positions are accessible to a wearer thus to draw the wearer-encircling portion of the garment tighter and secure it in the tightened position, for example by tying a suitable knot. Draw-cord elastic is produced by the applicant company and a draw-cord elastic is the subject of our Pat. No. GB 1406821.
Apparatus described in our Pat. No. GB 1406822 comprises a folding device and the apparatus supplied by the applicant company has utilized a folding device which is about 16 cms in length and which comprises two parallel members through a gap in which the band and fabric travel in face contact, the members in the commercially supplied device, as in the device as described by way of example in our Pat. No. 1406822 twisting in their length through 180.degree.. Apparatus with a folding device of this length has been found suitable for use in enclosing many elastic bands within a hem tunnel but not altogether satisfactory for enclosing an elastic band including a draw-cord which has been found to show a tendency to collapse along the centre line: this has apparently occurred because of the degree of twist applied to the elastic band in a relatively short distance.
In order to satisfactorily enclose a draw-cord elastic within a hem tunnel using apparatus generally as shown in our Pat. No. 1406822, a longer folding device has been found to be necessary having a length of about 30 cms and again the folding members twisting in their length through 180.degree.. The severity of the twist applied to the elastic band in such a longer machine is much reduced and with such a machine having a longer folding device the tendency of the band including draw-cord to collapse along its centre line has been substantially reduced so that it is virtually non-existent.
The use of a longer folding device, however, is itself not altogether satisfactory (although the results obtained using draw-cord elastic are much improved) because the operator of the succeeding sewing machine to which the work is fed is necessarily further from the sewing machine making control of the sewing more difficult and thus being less ergonomically satisfactory. Furthermore, the longer folding device is necessarily more expensive. As far as production is concerned, the short system is easier and faster to use, thereby increasing productivity whereas the longer folding device leads to more scrap and greater wastage of elastic.